Poirewa Aotearoa confirmed on Friday the New Zealand Junior Women’s squad to travel to China for their tilt at the Asian Championships in July.
With the last New Zealand appearance at the event coming in 2018 in Vietnam, the group – led by Head Coach Andrew Kilham – will assemble for a training camp in mid-June before departing for Jiangmen, China.
Kilham says his team, compiled from players within the Harbour, Canterbury and Bay of Plenty Regions, is ready to go with several of the squad involved across two international cycles.
“Their growth as athletes has been fantastic to watch and the team are already buzzing with excitement,” Kilham said.
“I’m confident that they will represent their whānau, schools, clubs and country with great skill and pride.”
Four of the group represented the Volley Ferns in the tour of Chile in 2023 with Nia Surman, Marnie Ursem, Kalea Norton and Pippa Henderson featuring from that tour.
Kilham says the togetherness of the group will be a real asset as they step into the international arena.
“They are hard-working, resilient and embrace challenges head-on. This meant that competition for places in the final 12-player squad was always going to be fierce and this was evident in the match-play at the final selection camp.
“At the same time, the group have always been hugely supportive of one another, and their connectedness will be a real asset as they head into the unknown.
The team will compete against Korea (fourth seed) and Taipei (fifth seed) in the Pool phase of the competition with the top two sides progressing to the quarter-finals.
New Zealand U-20 Women – Asian Championships
July 1-9
Jiangmen, China
Squad (2023 Regional Association representation is noted)
Angela Reupena – Setter (Canterbury)
Charlie Vail – Opposite (Harbour)
Chloe Kemble – Libero (Bay of Plenty)
Emma Mason - Outside (Canterbury)
Georgia Brell-Perrett – Outside (Bay of Plenty)
Grace Tiplady - Outside (Bay of Plenty)
Kalea Norton – Setter (Harbour)
Kiana Stevenson – Outside (Harbour)
Marnie Ursem – Middle (Harbour)
Nia Surman – Libero (Canterbury)
Pippa Henderson – Middle (Canterbury)
Romy Krueger-Reedy – Middle (Bay of Plenty)
Management staff
Andrew Kilham – Head Coach
Holly Chandler - Manager
